Posted on December 29th 2010 in News with Comments Off on This little piggie had a rather nice outfit

New evidence has been uncovered which may explain the origin of the hugely variable coat colours found in domesticated animals. The research from Durham University has shown human preference to be the cause of the varying colours and not, as was thought before, random mutations. The study, co-authored by Dr Greger Larson of the Department of Archaeology, compared a gene known as melanocortin receptor 1 (MC1R) in domesticated pigs with their cousins, the Asian and European wild boar. This gene is also present in many other domesticated animals, including cattle, dogs and horses, and is one that has been associated…